Method of and apparatus for forming or finishing top lifts



F. R. AKERLEY. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING 0R FINISHING TOP-L|FTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, 1919. 1,337,990.

Patented Apr; 27, 1920.

/ E d m? 1' lA/VENTIJR- UNITED STATES OFFICE.

FRED R. AKERLEY, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF FATER QN, J R E A C RP RATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING OR FINISHING TOP LIFTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

Application filed July 5, 1919. Serial No. 308,691.

To all whom it-mag concern Be it known that I, FRED R. AKERLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvementsin Methods of and Apparatus for Forming or Finishing Top Lifts, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts inthe several figures,

This invention relates to a method of and machine for forming boot and shoe parts, and more particularly to a method and machine for formin a top-lift for the heel of a boot or shoe. Special advantages are observable when the invention is applied to the productionv of top-lifts and it will be described in this connection, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this use, but may be employed with advane tageous results in treating other kinds of boot andshoe blanks.

It is now the common practice to subject top-lifts to a heavy compression in a mold of suitable form before they are applied to the heels of boots and shoes in order to cornpress or condense the material of the lifts and mold them to the desired form, and a ma hine of this general type is shown and described in the United States Patent to Thomas Lund, No. 1,172, 17 1,. dated February 22,1916. When the top-lift has been compressed or. molded, it is desirable that the flesh surface of the lift be flat and uninterrupted that it may make close contact with the h'eeltwhen spanked on, and that the grain surface be fiat and substantially parallel thereto. The treador grain surface of the top liftis exposed to view when the top lift is attached to the heel and is the part that comes directly in contact with the ground when the shoe is on the foot of the wearer. Consequently the grain or exposed surface of the top-lift should present a highly finished effect and be of great wear resistance.

An important feature of the invention therefore consists ofa method ofimparting the desired finished appearance and wear resisting qualities to the exposed surface of the top-lift by subjecting such surface to a rubbing action While it is under com ression.

The finish and condensation of the material thus imparted may be further enhanced by subjecting the surface of the top-lift to heat during the rubbing operation, and a further important feature of the method consists in simultaneously rubbing and heating the surface of the top-lift during the continuance of the molding pressure.

In carrying the improved method into practical effect any of the compressing machines now well known in' the art may be employed, such for instance, as that of the Lund patent, hereinbefore mentioned, by reconstructing the same with respect to the meansfor producing the rubbing or the rubbing and heating action during the compressing operation. An important feature of the invention, therefore, consists of a die or presser plate movable over the surface of the blank or top lift while the top lift is under compression.

Another important feature of the invention consists of a mold and a heated die or pressure plate movable over the surface of the blank during the continuance of the pressure upon the blank.

In exploitation of the invention, the compressing machine shown and described in the Lund patent hereinbefore referred to, is selected as a convenient type of heel or toplift compressing or molding machine, to which the present invention has been applied.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of suiii ient portions of a. compressing machine to make clear the association of the present invention therewith;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view, with parts broken away, showing the mold and opposed die or presser plate and one form of means for moving the presser plate during the compressing operation;

Fig; 3 is a sectional detail showing the two compression members in compressing-relacarries the pinion 4; which engages with the gear 5 on a countershaft 6. The countershaft 6 carries a pinion 7 which meshes with a gear 8 on the crank shaft 9. A link 10 is connected to the crank-shaft 9 and also to a toggle composed of members 11 and 12. The toggle member 11 is pivoted at 13 to a ratchet portion of the frame near its base. The other toggle 12 is pivoted at 11 to the reciprocating head 2. 15 indicates a chute attached to the frame of the machine, and is arranged to conduct away the treated blanks as they are ejected from the compressing mechanism.

The reciprocating head 2 carries a mold which, in the present instance of the invention, comprises the side members 16 and the breast or die plate 17 which, after a blank or top-lift has been placed in the mold, are moved toward each other into molding position as the reciprocating head 2 moves upwardly. Within the peripheral portions of the mold is the top-lift plate 1.8 beneath which may be placed a series of washers or shims 19 to properly position the top-lift plate 18 and accommodate it to the thickness of the blank or top-lift to be treated by the machine. Extending downwardly from the top-lift plate 18 is the rod or stem 20' which is actuated by an arm 21 at suitable times to eject the treated blank and receive upon it a blank being fed into treating position.

The reciprocating head 2 has the frontward extension 22 which provides a table or support for the feed slide 23 which may be actuated by suitable means, such, for instance, as the bell crank lever 241 pivoted to the table 22 at 25, and engaging by a pin 26 a slot 27 in the end of an arm 28 pivoted at 29 to themachine frame. All of the parts hereinbefore described may be of wellknown form and construction and substantially as more fully described and explained in the patent to Lund No. 1,17 2,17 1.

Mounted in opposed relation to the mold is a die or presser plate which is adapted to contact with the grain surface of a top-lift held within the mold. As hereinbefore described, it is desirable that the grain or tread surface of the top-lift have a finished appearance and high wear resisting qualities when attached to theheel of a boot or sh'oe. The present invention, therefore, contemplates that during the compression, or continuance of the molding pressure applied tothe toplift, that the grain surface thereof shall be subjected to a rubbing action, preferably in the presence of heat.

This characteristic feature of the invention may be carriedinto practical effect by mounting the die or presser plate for movement. relative to or over the surface of the top-lift duringthecontinuance of the molding pressure. In the present instance, the arch or overhead portion of the frame 1 as indicated in Fig. 2, has det'achably connected thereto a pressure block 30 toiwhich is pivotally connetced the die or presser plate 31. Inthe present instance of the invention, the die or presser plate 31 is mounted upon a pivotal connection 32 with the block 30, and the upper surface of the die or presser plate bears flush upon the lower surface 33 of the block 30, to thereby resist the pressure exerted uponthe die or presser plate as the opposed compressing members are moved into compressing position.

The die or presser plate maybe moved by variously contrived means during the time the top-lift or other blank is subjected to compression; in the present instance of the invention, however, the die or presser plate has a laterally extending portion 34: which is pivotally connected to an arm '35 at 36, and an operating means is associated with the arm 35 for imparting to the die or presser plate oscillatory movement during the continuance of the molding pressure upon the top-lift or blank.

The operating means for the die or presser plate, in the present instance of the invention, consists of a bell crank lever 37, Fig. 1, pivotally mounted at 38 in the bearings 39 secured to the main frame 1. One arm of the bell crank lever 37 has a'ball and socket connection at 40 with the arm 35, and its other end is pivotally connected at 41 with a link 42, the opposite end of which is connected to the crank shaft 9 at 4:3. The connection with the crank shaft may be variously contrived, but in the present instance of the invention, it is formed by a yoke 44 which is secured by a bolt 15 to the yoke connection of the link 10 with the crank shaft, the construction being such, and the parts being so timed, that when the compression members have been moved into compressing position and are exerting compressing or molding pressure upon the toplift held in the mold, the die or presser plate 31 will be moved or oscillated about its pivotal axis to thereby impart to the grain surface of the top-lift a, Fig. 2, a highly finished and condensed surface.

In some casesfit has beenfound desirable to have the grain surface of the top-lift heated during the rubbing action of the die or presser plate 31. Such heating of the top-lift surface may be variously contrived, but in the present instance of the invention the die or presser plate 1,is electrically heat ed. A convenient heating means for this purpose consists of electric circuit connections 46, 47, with a source of electric energy, 48, the construction being such thatthe die or presser plate shall be maintained at substantially uniform temperature sufiiciently high to properly effect the desired finish and condensation of the grain surface of the top-lift, without at the same time subjecting it to injury.

In carrying the invention into practical effect, the top-lift a may be fed by the slide 23 into position upon the top-lift plate 18, as pointed out in the patent to Lund, and as the reciprocating head 2 rises, the side and breast portions of the mold may, as described in said Lund patent, and as further elucidated in the patent to Leland No. 776,787, dated December 6, 1904, be moved into their closed or molding positions to thereby hold the top-life and prevent it from lateral spreading during the molding operation. As the top-lift with its opposed grain surface moves upwardly into contact with the die or presser plate, the molding pressure is sufiiciently increased to compress the top-lift to the desired extent, and during this compressing operation upon the lift, the heated die or presser plate is given a movement over the grain surface of the top lift to impart thereto the desired finish.

Claims:

1. The method of forming a top-lift which consists of subjecting the top-lift to a condensing or molding pressure and rubbing the surface of the top-lift while under condensing or molding pressure.

2. The method of forming a top-lift which consists in subjecting the surface of a toplift to molding pressure and simultaneously hiating and rubbing the surface of the topli t.

3. The method of forming a top-lift which consists in confining the top-lift from lateral movement and subjecting it to a molding pressure, heating the top-lift, and rubbing the surface of the top-lift while in a heated condition and during the continuance of the molding pressure.

4. The method of forming a top-lift which consists in confining the top-lift in a mold, and subjecting it to a molding pressure, and ironing the surface of the top-lift during the continuance of the molding pressure.

5. The method of forming a top-lift which consists in confining the top-lift in a mold against lateral expansion, and applying a molding pressure to the top-lift while in the mold, and subjecting-a surface of the top-lift to a rubbing action while under molding pressure.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of opposed compressing members, means for relatively moving said members to compress a blank between them, and means for moving one of said compressing members over the surface of the blank while the blank is under compression.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of opposed compressing members, means for relatively moving said members to compress a blank between them, means for heating one of the compressing members, and means for moving the heated compressing member over the surface of the blank while the blank is under compression.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a mold, an opposed die for acting upon a blank in the mold, and means for moving the die over the surface of the blank held by the -mold while the blank is under compression.

9. In a machine of the class described, the ombination of a mold for holding a blank, a presser plate opposed thereto for acting on the surface of a blank in the mold, means for moving the mold and presser plate relatively into a position of pressure, and means for moving the presser plate on the surface of the blank while the mold and presser plate are in a position of pressure.

10. In a machine of the class described,

the combination of a mold for holding a blank, a presser plate opposed thereto for acting on the surface of a blank in the mold, means for heating the presser plate, means for moving the mold and presser plate relatively into a position of pressure, and means for moving the presser plate on the surface of the blank while the mold and presser plate are in a position of pressure.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a mold, an opposed presser plate, means for moving the mold and presser plate relatively into a position of pressure, and means of oscillating the presser plate while the mold and presser plate are in position of pressure.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRED R. AKERLEY. 

